Check out SPACE auroras: Astronauts on the International Space Station share beautiful images of ‘Earth’s air glow’ as they orbit more than 250 kilometers above the surface.
- Auroras occur when cosmic rays interact with gases in the upper atmosphere and hang in the horizon
- Astronauts on the ISS saw images of the event from space as they orbited about 263 kilometers above
- The images were taken over different parts of the earth, including the North Atlantic Ocean, Romania and Russia.
- The ship was spinning about 263 kilometers above the surface when each photo was taken
- Most of the images show a green ribbon hanging over the horizon and bright city lights below
Advertisement
The Arctic Circle and areas in the Southern Hemisphere are considered the best places to view auras on Earth, but a team of astronauts have found a better place – outer space.
The crew of Expedition 64, which currently resides at the International Space Station, captured a number of beautiful images of the natural phenomenon as they orbited more than 250 kilometers above the surface.
The images were shot across different parts of our planet, including the North Atlantic Ocean, Romania and Russia, showing the beautiful lights hanging over cities, oceans and other land areas.
Auroras, also known as ‘Earth’s air glow’, are caused by cosmic rays alternating with gases in the upper atmosphere, which cover the horizon with electrically colored lights.
NASA describes the event as a ‘spectacular sign that our planet is electrically connected to the sun.’
The crew of Expedition 64, currently living at the International Space Station, captured a number of beautiful images of the natural phenomenon as they orbited more than 250 kilometers above the surface. One of the images taken on January 18 was shot while the International Space Station (ISS) orbited 264 miles around the North Atlantic orbit (photo)
Astronauts share the images with the Twitter account of the officials’ ‘International Space Station’.
“The orbit of the station takes it so high 51.6 ° above the equator and offers awesome views of the Aura of the earth between the city lights and the twinkling stars,” reads the report.
One of the images taken on January 18 was shot while the International Space Station (ISS) orbited 264 miles above the North Atlantic orbit.
The picture shows the dark sea below with a ribbon of green light at the top of the horizon.
Auroras, also known as ‘Earth’s air glow’, are caused by cosmic rays alternating with gases in the upper atmosphere, which cover the horizon with electrically colored lights. This photo was taken while the ISS was over Romania. The crew catches the auroras hanging over Sweden and Finland
On January 13, Expedition Crew 46 shared an image as they ascended above Kazakhstan in Russia, capturing the city’s bright lights at night and above it a curved beam of green aurora.
On the same day, the ISS pulled over Romania to get another breathtaking view.
‘The International Space Station orbits 263 miles above Romania when this photo was taken of the city lights of Sweden and Finland with an aurora above the horizon of the earth’, reads the caption of the picture.
“The dark area between the two Scandinavian countries is the Baltic Sea.”
Auroras are also called ‘polar lights’ because they are rarely visible outside the 70 north and south latitudes.
Auroras are also called ‘polar lights’ because they are rarely visible outside the 70 north and south latitudes. Pictured is another image taken 264 miles above Kazakhstan
However, one of the best images was taken on January 7 which shows that the 74 stock supply hangs in the dark, and underneath are the inflated white clouds in our atmosphere. And in the distance, the aurora australis can shine from the horizon
The beautiful performance occurs when energetic particles come out of the sun, both in a steady stream called the solar wind and as a result of giant eruptions, known as coronal mass ejections (CMEs).
It can take two to three days for the particles to reach the earth, but when they do, the solar particles and magnetic fields cause the release of particles already trapped near the earth, which in turn cause reactions in the upper atmosphere in which oxygen and nitrogen molecules releases photons of light.
And this results in the Northern and Southern lights.
On January 13, Expedition Crew 46 shared an image as they ascended above Kazakhstan in Russia, capturing the city’s bright lights at night, and a curved beam of green auroras.
However, one of the best images was taken on January 7 which shows that the 74 stock supply is hanging in the dark, and underneath are the inflated white clouds in our atmosphere.
And in the distance, the aurora australis can shine from the horizon.
WHAT ARE ORAS AND WHAT TRIGGERS THE BEAUTIFUL NATURAL EXHIBITIONS?
The Northern and Southern Lights are a natural spectacle caused by our atmosphere, also known as the ‘Auroras’.
There are two types of Aurora – Aurora Borealis, meaning ‘dawn of the north’, and Aurora Australis, ‘dawn of the south’.
The performances burn when electrically charged particles from the sun enter the earth’s atmosphere.
There are two types of Aurora – Aurora Borealis (file photo), meaning ‘dawn of the north’, and Aurora Australis, ‘dawn of the south’. The performances burn when electrically charged particles from the sun enter the earth’s atmosphere
Usually the particles, sometimes called a solar storm, are deflected by the Earth’s magnetic field.
But during stronger storms, they enter the atmosphere and collide with gas particles, including hydrogen and helium.
These collisions radiate light. Auroral displays come in many colors, although light green and pink are common.